Past, Present and Perhaps a Future
Chapter Six: Call Me Sherly
Texts/Thoughts

Molly came into the morgue a half an hour before noon, she usually showed up early for a shift, it was one of the things he appreciated about her; she had an excellent work ethic. After talking with John (if you can call it that, John scolded him, as usual) he was hoping Molly would offer better advice.

He bit back a smile at her startled yelp as she noticed him a moment later, lying out on one of the cold metal slabs.

"Sherlock?" She turned on the lights and headed over to him, "You gave me a fright!" he turned his head and took in her rapid breaths and hand clutched over her heart, he watched as she warred between being annoyed and concerned, her nurturing nature won over as her brow furrowed, "What's wrong?"

Sherlock didn't respond immediately, as he turned to stare up at the ceiling, counting the cracks.

Molly was right about to give up and get to work when his voice stopped her.

"I have a son." He barely whispered it, but it rang through the empty morgue like a bullet. He kept his eyes upward, but Molly could see the moisture building in them. "Talis was pregnant when she faked her death." He continued, "I have a son." He chanced a look at Molly, "Talis and I got into an argument," he fumbled, "I don't understand why I'm feeling this way."

Molly softened as he sat up and dangled his feet off the edge, looking very much like a lost little boy. Pulling up a rolling stool she placed her hand on his knee, "Tell me what happened."

Nodding he told Molly what transpired after the dinner party and the fight that they had gotten into this morning. Molly listened attentively, as he told the tale, finding herself both angry with and pitying Talis.

When he was done, he looked at Molly imploringly, as if she held all the answers to the universe; no matter how long they'd been friends, it was a tad unnerving to have someone so incredibly brilliant look to you for answers, to trust your judgment.

"I don't know what to do Molly, what should I do?" He questioned, looking almost exactly as he had all those years ago when he came to her, telling her she counted.

Molly took a breath, thinking her response through before answering, "She obviously loves you Sherlock, that much was evident last night, and although I don't know her like you do, she doesn't seem like the type that would disappear without a good reason." It hurt to tell him what she knew was right; to tell him that he needed to go resolve things with his wife, when all she wanted to do was take him in her arms and make him forget Talis Holmes ever returned. "I think you owe it to her, and to yourself to get all the facts before making a decision, or jumping to conclusions."

Sherlock scowled petulantly before nodding, "That's what John said." He grumbled, "You both barely know her, yet you're taking her side."

Molly chuckled, Sherlock was such a child sometimes! "We're not taking her side, we're taking a cue from you. You're always telling us not to jump to conclusions, to not formulate an answer without having all the facts, and from what I can see you're missing some of the facts." She smiled softly although Sherlock could tell it didn't reach her eyes, "She's your wife Sherlock," Molly was proud she was able to say the words without stumbling, "I don't think she would've left you without a good reason."

He looked at her, a wounded look still lingering in his eyes, "How do you know?"

"Because I wouldn't." there was no hesitation in her answer, and Sherlock marveled, not for the first time on why and how she cared so much.

"How do I not be so angry with her?"

"Easy, you don't." Molly stated matter of factly, "Try to not be mad at her that is," she clarified, confusing him even more with the double use of negatives, "You have every right to be angry with her Sherlock," she explained, "she showed up unannounced after a decade and tells you that you have a son, anyone in their right mind would be pissed!" she elaborated, "What you need to do is figure out what you want out of all this. You have options Sherlock, you don't have to welcome her back, and you don't have to be a father if you don't want to."

"Do you think I'd be rubbish at it?"

Molly smiled softly, "I think it'll take some getting used to, but like you are with everything, you'll pick it up quickly and be absolutely brilliant at it." She beamed at him.

"I don't have any concrete proof that the child is in fact mine, and yet I can't help but want him to be, I never thought about having children, but now, I want him, I want to claim him as my own."

Molly reached out and squeezed his hand, "Obviously I can't speak from experience, but they say that parental love is the strongest love out there because a child is more than just another person, a child is a part of you, whether you're biologically related or not. That love, that bond is what allows people to do the most incredible and often seemingly impossible things when their child is in danger, that connection that assures you'll do anything for their happiness."

The two sat beside together in silence for a moment, Sherlock processing everything Molly had told him, and Molly trying to envision what a son of Sherlock and Talis looked like. She concluded that any combination of the two would yield stunning results, and found that she was quite interested in meeting the young Mr. Holmes.

"I'm sorry for not telling you about her." His confession was soft, Molly wouldn't have heard it if she hadn't been right next to him. "Thank you for your advice. You've been most helpful." He squeezed her shoulder tenderly before exiting the morgue in a flourish of black wool.

Molly watched him go, the ache in her heart neither soothed nor worsened. She didn't know how to feel about the barrage of new information, in less than 24 hours she found out that her long time crush was in fact married, and had a kid to boot! If she was confused by the influx of emotions, she wondered how in the hell Sherlock was dealing with it all seeing as he hardly dealt with emotions to begin with!

Molly hoped the advice she gave Sherlock wasn't too off base, she was usually a good judge of character (Moriarty aside, but she figured he didn't count since nerdy Jim from IT had fooled Sherlock as well) and she had honestly enjoyed Talis' company yesterday, and could easily see herself becoming friends with the enigmatic brunette.

Talis had been warm and welcoming, funny and charming, and Molly had a sneaking suspicion that Talis knew of her crush on Sherlock, and while that would spur a possessive jealousy in most women, Talis had simply taken it in stride, never once laying a claim to Sherlock not even a subtle gesture to tell her hands off. In fact, Talis almost seemed to delight in the fact that Molly longed for Sherlock.

It was something that confused the pathologist greatly.

She wasn't sure what Talis' endgame was with regards to Sherlock Holmes, she supposed she'd just have to wait and see.

He was leaving the hospital when his mobile chimed, it was Mycroft,

You're a fool Sherlock. Anthea just informed me of your argument with Talis. She's the only person to successfully hide from both of us, if she wanted to disappear again what makes you think we'd be able to find her? You need to fix this before she disappears with my nephew.
-M

The realization that Talis very well could disappear without a trace and take their son with her spurned him into action. He hadn't thought of that, I always miss something! he cursed to himself as he rushed towards the street, headed towards the Mayfair. It had only been 4 hours since their argument, perhaps he wasn't too late.

Hailing a cab, he pulled out his mobile and shot of a text as soon as he was safely ensconced in the vehicle and headed toward the hotel.

Can we talk?
-SH

Mycroft watched on CCTV as his brother rushed off before paging his assistant, "Anthea, make sure Talis Holmes is put on the no-fly list, I want her passport flagged and for her to be detained if she tries to leave the country." He dictated, "It won't stop her from getting out if she really wants to, but it should slow her down enough."

"Already done sir." Anthea smiled as she placed a cup of tea and 2 madelines on his desk. "I've already been on the phone to the hotel, she hasn't checked out yet, which doesn't mean she isn't already gone, but her things are still in the room, so that's a good sign."

Mycroft took a sip of the tea, "Thank you Anthea, that'll be all."

Sherlock stared at his mobile, willing it to notify him of a response. A few minutes ticked by before he tapped out another message.

Talis, please.
-SH

Another five minutes passed before the cab pulled up to the Mayfair, throwing what was certainly too much money at the driver he quickly entered the building, flashing DI Lestrade's card to the hotel clerk, he demanded Talis' room number.

Talis I'm sorry.
-SH

He sent the message and breathed a sigh of relief when he heard it chime beyond the door. Strengthening his resolve, and preparing himself to apologize, he knocked.

Talis gasped as she looked through the peephole, the last person she expected to see on the other side was Sherlock Holmes.

"Talis, I know you're in there, and you know that this silly card key contraption won't keep me out if my goal is to get in." he softened, "Please Tal, let me in."

"Go away Sherlock, there's nothing left to discuss. I clearly made a mistake in coming back, just forget the last 24 hours, delete them and me from your hard drive and I promise you won't have to worry about seeing me again." I'll be dead and out of your life forever hung between them, not needing to be said.

"Talis I'm sorry." He apologized out loud, "Please," he leaned against the door.

It was the please that did her in. He rarely apologized for anything, asking politely was even rarer.

She took a deep breath to steel her nerves before opening the door, she stood there her lithe frame blocking his entrance, arms crossed and feet planted, he wasn't foolish enough to try and barge in. "What do you want Sherlock."

It was the second time in the span of three minutes she had used his full name, and as much as he claimed to hate being called Sherly, he found he missed it. It sounded weird, and too formal to hear her call him by his full name.

"Tal, I'm so-"

"Stop apologizing." She held up her hand, "You have nothing to apologize for. It was my fault for thinking that this could have gone any other way." She recrossed her arms and looked away, "Just chalk it up to a moment of stupidity on my part, and rest assured that in a few hours I'll be gone for good." She grabbed the door, intent on closing it, "So if that's all then, have a nice life Sherlock."

He watched as she door began to close and he knew that if it did he'd lose her forever. "No." He growled his hand reaching out to stop the door, "That's not all." She must have heard the anger in his voice because she didn't push against him.

"Talis, you can't come back after a decade of being dead, tell me you're dying for real this time and that we have a son together and expect me to know how to act." his anger dissipated a bit, "You've said it yourself, I'm an asshole and a giant man-child most of the time, so I'm sorry if I acted like such, but you have to see it from my side," he gently pushed the door open to stare her down, "I've been reasonably informed that even the most well adjusted and normal-" he spoke the word as if it offended him, "-people would react as I have, and we both know I'm not all that well adjusted," his spirits lifted as he watched her fight back a smile, "Please Talis,"

He wasn't even sure what he was asking her for, but apparently Talis did as she opened the door all the way and motioned him in. Closing the door behind him she led him through the suite towards the kitchen, "Coffee?"

He nodded, watching as she moved about getting two mugs out and starting up the Keurig.

Moments later, fresh hot coffee was placed in front of him, prepared exactly as he liked it, which shouldn't have surprised him, but it did.

"Sherlock I'm sorry." She blurted out before he could thank her for the cup.

"Call me Sherly." He smirked at her stunned expression, before taking a casual sip of coffee "It sounds wrong hearing you call me Sherlock." He confessed softly, smiling at her from behind the cup.

Talis couldn't help it, she giggled, the absurdity of Sherlock actually telling her to call him Sherly after the rollercoaster they'd just gone through was more than she could take. The consulting detective joined in, and soon the two of them were laughing almost maniacally, clutching their sides as their muscles spasmed almost painfully.

Getting themselves under control, the two stared at each other, laughter dancing in their eyes; there was hurt and fear there too, but love was present as well. Talis stared at the man in front of her and wondered what deity thought it be a good idea to make them parents?

"I want to meet him Talis." Sherlock reiterated once more, and this time there was no trace of doubt in his voice or hesitation lingering in her eyes. "I want to meet our son."

The smile he received could only be described as brilliant.

Alright, this seems like a good place to stop. I feel like people just skipped over the authors note in chapter 4, so I'll say it again. MOLLY WILL NOT BE A CONSOLATION PRIZE FOR SHERLOCK.

Talis is a plot device necessary to prove that Sherlock is capable of sentiment and love. I know the Sherlolly bits so far have been few and far between, but I don't want to rush this. If Sherlock and Molly are ever to have a chance at a happy ever after, he has to face his past with Talis first. If I've told the story correctly by the end there will be no doubt in Molly's mind (and hopefully yours as well) that Sherlock loves Molly for Molly and not just because he can't have Talis.

End Rant.

Thanks to those who reviewed! It really does make my day! :]

Also, I'm working on an unrelated Sherlolly one-shot, hopefully I'll get to post that later on today!

I don't own any of the brilliant characters created by Sir Doyle, Mr. Moffat or Mr. Gatiss, I'm just borrowing them for my own entertainment.

Getting2KnowL
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